STARKVILLE — Even in losing four of its last five games, the Mississippi State’s men’s basketball team has remained competitive. The margin of victory or defeat in that stretch has been 5.5 points.
You have to go back one more game — an 88-61 loss to Ole Miss on Jan. 31 — to see that streak end.
MSU (14-12, 5-9 Southeastern Conference) will get its shot at redemption at 8 tonight (ESPN2) when it plays host to Ole Miss (16-11, 7-7) at Humphrey Coliseum.
“We’ve been waiting for this game a long time,” MSU freshman Mario Kegler said.
MSU, which is coming of a 57-52 loss to No. 13 Florida, has won its last three games against unranked competition at the Hump. MSU coach Ben Howland said transition defense will be a key in the rematch with the Rebels.
“Our transition defense was horrible,” he said. “That’s the worst transition defense we’ve played all season.”
Howland made the same point earlier in Monday in the SEC teleconference when he said, “That was the one game we were really, really out of. Any bad shot we took turned into a transition basket for them.”
Ole Miss was credited with 44 points in the paint, compared to MSU’s 28. The Rebels also had a 23-5 edge in points off of turnovers.
“We didn’t guard the ball and they were driving us, driving us, driving us,” Howland said.
Howland opted to start I.J. Ready, Lamar Peters, and Quinndary Weatherspoon together for the first time all season to correct that issue. The Bulldogs responded by limiting the Gators to 38.5-percent shooting (20 of 52) from the field. Howland didn’t confirm the starting lineup Monday, saying it will be announced at game time, but he offered positive reviews after the loss.
Kegler, who rounded out the starting lineup with Schnider Herard, said MSU delivered one of its best transition defense performances against Florida. He said duplicating that effort will be a key if the Bulldogs want to beat the Rebels.
Ready’s presence figures to provide stability. He missed the Ole Miss game and the next three due to an injury before returning last week.
“It helps us a lot to have I.J. because he’s played against that system,” Howland said. “He makes us way better defensively because he has a lot of experience. He’s the most verbal in terms of communicating and telling guys what to do, and he’s the best we have in transition defense.”
MSU also will have to improve its 3-point shooting after going 2-for-23 — its worst performance under Howland — against Florida.
“We missed, some open looks, but we also took some shots where you have to pass that up to penetrate or make the extra pass,” Howland said. “We did that a few times really well. There was literally like half a dozen of those threes that were wide open that we missed.”
n Pichaikool shines in debut with MSU men’s golf team: At Mobile, Alabama, Peng Pichaikool fired an opening round 4-under-par 68 to lead the MSU men’s golf team to a two-round total of 571 and sole possession of third place entering the final round at the Mobile Sports Authority Intercollegiate.
Pichaikool followed his 68 with a 72 to finish his day with a 140. The Thailand native is tied for third two shots behind the leader, Georgia State’s Alexander Herrmann.
Senior Jackson Dick fired a 1-under-par 143 on the day to join Pichaikool as the only Bulldogs under par. Dick is tied for 17th. Freshman Garrett Johnson shot a 144 and is tied for 20th. Taylor Grant shot a 146 and is tied for 35th. Ross Bell is tied for 38th after an opening-day 147.
MSU trails leader and host South Alabama by six shots.
MSU had four participants in the USA Individual Tournament, which was held simultaneously with the Mobile Sports Authority Intercollegiate. Taylor Bibbs is the clubhouse leader with 18 holes remaining. He shot 4-under-par 138 after a career-low 65 in the second round. Jacob Ross is tied for third after shooting a 143 for the opening two rounds. Austin Rose carded a 149 to end the day tied for 16th. Senior Ben Follett-Smith rounded out the foursome by placing 21st behind an opening-day 153.
n MSU women’s golf team finishes 13th at Allstate Sugarbowl Intercollegiate: At New Orleans, the MSU women’s golf team played 36 holes Monday and finished 13th at the Allstate Sugarbowl Intercollegiate with a 904.
Top-ranked Stanford took the crown with an 863.
Senior Jessica Peng shot a 70 to lead the Bulldogs to a 295 on their first 18 holes. Peng notched a 77 to finish the event one shot outside the top 25 with a 54-hole total of 222. Katie Holt finished with a 228, while freshman Athena Yang carded a 229. Ji Eun Baik drained three birdies en route to finishing with a 231.
Junior Colleges
n ICC sweeps EMCC in basketball: At Fulton, the Itawamba Community College women’s and men’s basketball teams swept vs East Mississippi C.C. on Monday night.
Marlee Hatcher had 22 points to lead the Lady Indians (15-6, 10-1 Mississippi Association of Community and Junior Colleges) to a 70-66 victory.
Tyeisha Juhan had 28 points for the Lady Lions (12-8, 7-4).
In the men’s game, Tre Jenkins had a career-high 20 points to lead ICC (10-11, 6-5) to a 78-66 victory.
David McFarland had 17 points and former Starkville High School standout Keith Harris had 11 for the Lions (7-13, 3-8 MACJC North).
Follow Dispatch sports writer Brett Hudson on Twitter @Brett_Hudson
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